Manufacture of explosives.



* ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD HIBBERT, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVES.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

1,213,36'2', Specification of Letters Patent. No Drawing. Application filed February 23, 1915. Serial No. 9,774.

discovery that an explosive which will re-' main liquid at a temperature much below that at which nitro-glycerin freezes can be produced by the nitrification of a mixture of glycols obtained primarily from the raw material known commercially as oil gas; and that, further, the mixture of glycols thus ob tained can be added to glycerin and nitrated simultaneously therewith, without other pre g y cautions than are customary in the manufacture of nitroglycerin, and with the production of a product consisting in part of nitroglycerin and in part of nitro-glycols, and which partakes of the same quality of remaining unfrozen at relatively low temperatures.

A particular merit of the mixture of nitrated glycols obtained from oil gas, in accordance with the invention is that the mixture is relatively non-volatile, and is therefore capable of being used commercially under conditions which 'would be impracticable for some of its constituent nitrated glycols, as, for instance, nitrated butylene glycol which is too volatile to be used alone or to be incorporated with nitro-glycerin in the manufacture of blasting explosives.

In the practice of the invention, the PH- mary raw material employed is oil gas, that is to say, gas obtained from the vaporization and gasification of a hydrocarbon oil, such as naphtha, solar oil, or the like. -This oil gas is subjected to a tem erature within the range of 600 C.900 in any suitable apparatus and is thereby cracked up into a mixture consisting essentially of about 50%60% of unsaturated ethylene derivatives, the remainder conslsting essentially of hydrogen, methane and ethane. The unsaturated derivatives referred to consist essentially of a mixture of ethylene, propylene and butylene, the proportions of these several constituents varying to some extent, ac-

cording to the apparatus employed, the temperature within the range stated, and the mode of heating. The mixture of unsaturated derivatives is then brought into contact with chlorin gas thereby forming the corresponding dichlor saturated derivatives and I thereupon saponify these chlorin compounds by heating them in the presence of an aqueous alkali carbonate solution at a temperature between C.200 C. in an apparatus capable of withstanding a considerable pressure. 7

The alkali carbonate solution that I prefer for the purpose is an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, and I find that under the conditions specified an excellent yield of the corresponding glycols may be readily obtained by its use. The mixed glycol intermediate product thus obtained consists of a mixture of ethylene, propylene and butylene l cols. On subjecting the mixed glycol product to the action of a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids, such as are used for the manufacture of nitro-glycerin, there is produced a mixture of nitrated glycols rep- .resenting a very stable product and one caas a substitute for nitro-glycerin in explo sives.

Inasmuch as the hydrocarbons from which the glycols are produced are unsaturated hydrocarbons, the chlorin derivatives, and also the glycols themselves, will contain their respective chlorin or hydroxyl groups on adjoining atoms. Thus, for example, the l-butylene, which is a constituent of the oil gas, will yield a glycol having the hydroxyl groups in 1.2 position. The isomeric 2-butylene will give the corresponding 2.3 glycol. The l-butylene, however, usually predominates. Both glycols differ from the 1.3 glycols referred to in my prior Patents Nos. 994,841 and 994,842. The nitroglycols of the present invention are accordingly distinguished from the nitroglycols of said prior patents in that they contain the nitro groups on adjacent carbon atoms. The glycols used in the present invention are more stable in character, less volatile, and more easily nitrated.

As hereinbefore indicated, the nitrated product obtained from butylene glycol alone is too volatile to permit of its commercial utilization, either per se, or for incorporation with nitro-glycerin in the manufacture of blasting explosives. On the other hand, the nitrated mixed glycol product obtained by the present invention represents a much less volatile product and one which may be than those usually adopted in the inanufac-- ture of nitro-glycerin, and with the great technical characteristic advantage that the mixed nitrated product has a very much lower freezing point than in the case of uitro-glycerin alone.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. An explosive comprising a nitrated mixture of glycols substituted on adjacent carbon atoms, said explosive bein a stable product of a relatively non-volatile nature and of low freezing point; substantially as described.

2. An explosive comprising a mixture of nitrated glycols substituted on adjacent carbon atoms with other explosive compounds, said explosive being a stable product of a relatively non-volatile nature and of low freezing point; substantially as described.

3. An explosive comprising a mixture of nitrated glycols substituted on adjacent carbon atoms and glycerin, said explosive being a stable product of a relatively non-volatile nature and of low freezing point; substantially as described.

4. An explosive comprising a nitrated mixture of ethylene, propylene and butylene glycols, said explosive bein a stable product of a relatively non-volatile nature and of low freezing point; substantially as described.

5. An explosive comprising a nitrated mixture of ethylene, propylene and butylene glycols with other explosive compounds, said explosive being a stable product of a relatively non-volatile nature and of low freezing point; substantially as described.

6. An explosive comprising a. mixture of nitrated ethylene, propylene and butylene glycols and nitrated glycerin, said explosive being a stable product of a relatively non-volatile nature and of low freezing point; substantially as described.

7. An explosive comprising a mixture of nitrated glycols one of which is nitrated butylene glycol substituted on adjacent carbon atoms, said explosive being a stable product of a relatively non-volatile nature and of low freezing point; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HAROLD HTBBER'I.-

\Vitnesses:

GEO. B. NICKEL, FRANK J. DAVIES. 

